The British colonial overlords in the 19th Century imposed on all of their colonies, including India and the city-state of Singapore, the same British penal code, including something called “Section 377” in India and Singapore. It’s a law that, among other things, sets a draconian penalty for gay sex. An Indian court last week declared that part of their penal code unconstitutional.
Amnesty International hailed the decision. In a statement, the human rights group said of Section 377, “This British colonial legacy has done untold harm to generations of individuals in India and across the Commonwealth.”
India’s political leadership is now deciding what to do about the ruling. But, in Singapore, the country’s law minister insisted Sunday that the ruling in India will not affect his country. He said the Section 377 will remain on the books and unchanged in his country, but that its ban on consensual sex between adults of the same sex will not be enforced.
Singapore’s Law Minister K Shanmugam told a gathering in the city-state on Sunday, “We have the law. We say it won't be enforced. Is it totally clear? We, sometimes in these things, have to accept a bit of messiness. And the way the society is going, we don't think it's fair for us to prosecute people who say that they are homosexual.”
Preventing gay people from gathering together in public? It seems “clear” that’s still mostly not allowed.
Last modified: 5 Jul 09 11:11
section 377, country_singapore